Memory is the process by which knowledge is encoded, stored, and later retrieved. Although the word memory may conjure up an image of a singular, “all-or-none” process, it is clear that there are actually many kinds of memory, each of which may be somewhat independent of the others.
Sequential memory requires items to be recalled in a specific order. In saying the days of the week, months of the year, a telephone number, the alphabet, and in counting, the order of the elements is of paramount importance. Visual sequential memory is the ability to remember things seen in sequence, while auditory sequential memory is the ability to remember things heard in sequence.
Consequences of poor sequential memory
Many students with reading difficulties have trouble with sequencing and poor sequential memory, which naturally affects their ability to read and spell correctly. After all, every word consists of letters in a specific sequence. In order to read one has to perceive the letters in sequence, and also remember what word is represented by that sequence of letters. By simply changing the sequence of the letters in name, it can become mean or amen.
When reading, students with poor sequential memory may put letters in the wrong order, reading felt as left, act as cat, reserve as reverse, expect as except. They may put syllables in the wrong order, reading animal as ‘aminal’, hospital as ‘hopsital’, enemy as ‘emeny’. They may put words in the wrong order, reading are there for there are. They may write letters in the wrong order, spelling Simon as ‘Siomn’, time as ‘tiem’, child as ‘chidl’. They may omit letters, i.e. reading or writing cat for cart, wet for went, sing for string. They may be unable to repeat longer words orally without getting the syllables in the wrong order, for example words like preliminary and statistical.
Poor readers and dyslexics have poor sequential memory
Guthrie and team investigated relationships between visual sequential memory and reading in 81 normal and 43 disabled readers. The children had normal intelligence and a mean reading grade of 2.5. The mean chronological age of the normal readers was 8.5 years, and the mean of the reading disabled 10.3. Partial correlations between three tests of visual sequential memory and three tests of reading were computed. Significant, positive associations were identified between visual sequential memory and paragraph comprehension, oral reading and word recognition.
A study, published in the Journal of General Psychology, compared 33 dyslexic and 33 control eight to 12-year-old children and found the dyslexic children to be inferior to controls on tasks involving visual sequential memory and auditory sequential memory.
Another study, published in the Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, compared 24 readers with auditory dyslexia and 21 with visual dyslexia to 90 control group participants and revealed auditory sequential memory impairments for both types of readers with dyslexia, and multiple strengths for good readers.
Improved sequential memory can help improve your child’s reading and spelling skills. To do this effectively, both auditory sequential and visual sequential memory skills need to be developed.
How Edublox can help
Edublox Online Tutor(EOT) houses a number of multisensory cognitive training programs that enable learners to overcome learning obstacles and reach their full potential.
EOT is founded on pedagogical research and 30+ years of experience demonstrating that weak underlying cognitive skills account for the majority of learning difficulties. Underlying cognitive skills include sequential memory. Specific cognitive exercises can strengthen these weaknesses leading to increased performance in reading, spelling, writing, math and learning.
In a recent, soon-to-be published research study, 64 2nd grade students at an inner-city school were divided into three groups: group 1 consisted of 22 students who did Edublox Online Tutor (Development Tutor) for 28 hours over a period of three weeks, while group 2 consisted of 21 who played computer games, and the rest continued with school. Preliminary results show that the visual and auditory sequential memory skills of the Edublox group (blue line) improved significantly: .
Visual sequential memory:
Auditory sequential memory:
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EOT has been optimized for children aged between 7 and 13, is suitable for the gifted and less gifted, and can be used at home and in school. The program is effective for a variety of learning difficulties including dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculiaand ADD/ADHD. .
Video: Susan’s story of helping her daughter catch up
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Susan, Vivienne's momFebruary 22, 2021
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The whole Edublox system has helped Amy so much with reading and math, but it was hard for us to tell if it was helping her with this hidden, agonizing challenge. It certainly is! Continue Reading
Sandy, mom of Amy, USFebruary 11, 2021
“Carsten is reading 6 and 7 letter words and the most amazing part is he is spelling them as well!”
Now, after working with Susan and the Edublox program for the last 5 months, Carsten is reading 6 and 7 letter words and the most amazing part is he is spelling them as well! AMAZING! I never would have thought he would be spelling words that large so quickly. I asked his school teacher about what she has seen and she told me she’s seen a big difference... Continue Reading
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Video galleryDecember 22, 2019
Life-changing: A child with severe dyslexia improves from the 1st to the 55th percentile in reading!
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Kimberly, USMay 23, 2019
A dyslexia success story: “I would not have thought it possible four years ago”
As for my daughter, I thought you would like to know that she is in her first year of high school and is in honors English and geometry and AP History. Her elective reading for English was Hemingway and now Homer's Iliad. She got a very good report card this term too. Continue Reading
Beth in Fullerton, USNovember 13, 2017
“Handwriting is no longer an issue” – Jennifer Gilliland
After thirty hours, I can honestly say his handwriting is no longer an issue. It has become automatic for him to write neatly and legibly, whereas before, his writing varied depending on the day and the amount of effort he was willing to put in to be neat. This has also positively affected his ability to compose a written paragraph... Continue Reading
Jennifer Gilliland, USFebruary 26, 2017
“Now he reads with ease and confidence” – Sheri Browning
As a matter of fact, he enjoys reading so much that it isn’t unusual to see him reading for pleasure now. The first time I heard him say he was “going to bed a little early so he could read before going to sleep” was music to my ears!! Continue Reading
Sheri Browning, USDecember 19, 2016
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She is now almost an intuitive speller. Really, it's a miracle. Six months ago, her spelling tested at a Kindergarten level, and is now at a 6th grade level. This is just still so amazing to all of us who have struggled with her. Continue Reading
The Adams household in New MexicoDecember 15, 2016
“In the first 9 weeks of school they have increased over 2 1/2 years” — Nita Brist
Phonics just did not work. Last year they did not improve in their reading level all year. We started Edublox in June and already in the first 9 weeks of school they have increased over 2 1/2 years.... Their spelling has greatly improved and learning new words has become a game, not the dreaded chore it once was. Continue Reading
Nita Brist, Washington State, USDecember 11, 2016
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References:
Guthrie JT, Goldberg, HK. “Visual sequential memory in reading disability.” Journal of Learning Disabilities. January 1972.
Hornsby B. Overcoming Dyslexia. Juta and Company Ltd. 1984.
Howes NL, Bigler ED, Lawson JS, Burlingame GM. “Reading disability subtypes and the test of memory and learning.” Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology. April 1999 14(3): 317–339.
Stanley G, Kaplan I, Poole C. “Cognitive and nonverbal perceptual processing in dyslexics.” Journal of General Psychology. 1975, 93(1): 67-72.